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Few clinical situations place intensive care practitioners in a more uncomfortable position than does treating patients of the Jehovahs Witness faith. The faith-based refusal of autogenous or allogenic blood transfusions conflicts with the typical life-saving intent implicit in the critical care environment. However, it is our obligation to have a basic level of understanding of the set of beliefs that leads to the choice to refuse this specific set of life-saving therapies, while accepting other aspects of modern medical care.
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Antibiotics Associated With Cancer Risk; Topiramate Effective Against Migraine; Statin Therapy For Heart Failure; FDA Actions.
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It appears safe to conclude that patients with mild-to-moderate angina can be safely managed with continued medical therapy, but percutaneous coronary intervention is certainly indicated and appropriate if anginal symptoms are not controlled by maximum, aggressive medical management.
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Sleep and headache have a long and complex relationship. Morning (or awakening) headache has been linked to sleep disorders, especially obstructive sleep apnea syndrome, but this association is controversial.
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There is an association between long-distance air flights and venous thromboembolism, but the role of traditional risk factors and prophylactic measures requires more study.
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Mortality among patients with advanced cirrhosis who required intubation and mechanical ventilation was related more to the derangement of liver function than to the severity of critical illness as assessed by APACHE II or SAPS.
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GEMINI Trial; CAMELOT Trial; INVEST Trial; The Dangers of Vitamin E; FDA Actions.
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The primary objective of this study was to determine whether patients receiving mechanical ventilation who tolerate kinetic therapy have better pulmonary function than patients treated with standard turning. A secondary objective was to assess the cost-effectiveness of kinetic therapy.